The present invention relates to closure members for containers, vials and the like, and, more particularly, to closure members which are particularly well adapted for use on dispensing containers for medicinal agents.
There has been a marked interest in methods for providing a medication container enclosure which is tamper proof, child-proof, and which prevents the insertion or reinsertion of pills, tablets or capsules into the container vessel due to the recent tragedies involving medicinal capsules laced with cyanide. Current proposed systems to overcome tampering have involved seals of one kind or another which would be broken after the bottle is purchased. For example, medication bottles may be enclosed within a cardboard carton which is glued closed. However, such cardboard boxes may be opened and reglued relatively easily. Seals may also be placed underneath a twist off cap which can be punctured or peeled back upon purchase and use. However, such systems may be readily counterfeited, duplicated or peeled back and reglued in place after the bottle has been tampered with. Thus, the current solutions and systems do not solve the problems of store tampering or tampering once the container has been purchased and in use in the home.
The closure member of the present invention affords novel improvements over current solutions to the problems of tampering with medications. The invention bears some relationship to several principles taught in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,247 and to U.S. Pat. No. 4,365,722.